Maw-Maw’s Gingerbread

Gingerbread was one of my mother’s favorite holiday treats, although she seldom cooked it. I think it reminded her too much of her mother, whose recipe this was. I remember my grandmother cooking gingerbread during the winter, but for some reason, I always recall her serving it with a lemon sauce instead of whipped cream. That could be my own addition to the recipe.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease well a 13 x 9 1/2 x 2″ pan. Sift flour with soda, salt, and spices; set aside. In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar, and eggs for five minutes with an electric mixer. At low speed, beat in the molasses and hot water. Add the flour mix, beating just until smooth. Turn batter into pan. Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool partially before serving with whipped cream.